Royals Kansas City begins talk and studies for downtown ballpark - Page 13

Titty Meat · 10-04-2017, 04:51 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/news/polit...177058541.html

The city of Kansas City is funding a study of at least four potential sites for a downtown baseball stadium for the Kansas City Royals, according to documents obtained by The Star.

A series of emails shows that Kansas City Manager Troy Schulte was involved in funding studies of four sites within the downtown loop that might be suitable for a baseball stadium.

Two of those sites, according to slides prepared by architecture firm HOK, are immediately adjacent to the Sprint Center, one to the north and one to the east.

Another site is East Village, several blocks of mostly undeveloped land and surface parking lots east of City Hall. A fourth site would involve several blocks of mostly surface parking lots beginning at the northwest corner of 8th and Main streets.

Others involved in the planning include Jon Copaken, principal with real estate development firm Copaken-Brooks, the Downtown Council of Kansas City, JE Dunn, The Cordish Co. and Tower Properties.

Schulte said the studies started after the Downtown Council approached City Hall about the feasibility of downtown baseball. Schulte added that he agreed to help fund a study to consider whether the four sites would work so that the city could plan ahead if the idea gained momentum.

“At this point it’s nothing more than hopes and dreams and discussions,” Schulte said.

A May 12 email from Copaken obtained by The Star suggested that conversations with the Royals and Jackson County have started.

“[T]he studies are underway, invoices are out, conversations from the County and the team are actually heading in the right way and we are sufficiently in the loop to know that real progress is being achieved,” Copaken wrote.

Kevin Uhlich, senior vice president of business operations for the Royals, said he had been contacted about downtown baseball stadium proposals earlier this year.

**SAUTO** · 10-07-2017, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Trying to get back across that bridge from Wheeler would seem like a shitshow. I had a loft that looked out onto that bridge and the morning commute was always jammed up through there. Unless they've made improvements since I've been gone.

And if you ****ed up and went North you have to go 10 miles before you could turn around

KCUnited · 10-07-2017, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAUTO

And if you ****ed up and went North you have to go 10 miles before you could turn around

Yep. I know they've used that bridge for DUI checkpoints in the past because once you're on it there's nowhere else to go.

cooper barrett · 10-07-2017, 10:22 AM

The Heart of America (ASB) is a long bridge but isn't that backed up on a regular basis unless I-35 is clogged. and the bridge from the old airport (Buck O'Neil) has never been a headache unless there is a wreck as I recall..

1- Why move the ball park? it's fine where it is..

2- Yes Wheeler needs to go but a ball park? Put it on the west side of I-670 on the hill but first refer to #1. You won't have to build a new bridge to get there...

DanT · 10-07-2017, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

I'm not sure I agree. I've been flying in and out of MCI since 1999 and it's hands-down the best airport. A bit dark, but that matters little. Add trains between the three terminals and it would be complete. Add rail from Lee's Summit, Independence, OP, Olathe, and it would be even more perfect.

To me, KCI is among the worst airports that I use, and I only use it when visiting my family, not for connecting flights. Given that KCI is not very popular for connecting flights, I would guess that most of the passengers who were eligible to rate it in the latest J.D. Power 2017 North American Airport Satisfaction Study used it purely for round trips. Even still, it only got rated in the "about average" tier, with a score of 742, close to the average rating 745 for its class ("Large Airports"). http://www.jdpower.com/press-release...sfaction-study

My primary airport is Sacramento International, a "Medium Airport", which received the highest overall average rating, a 810. But it's not just Sacramento's airport that is far better than KCI in my opinion, it's damn near every U.S. airport I've been through in the past few years. In large part this is because KCI's layout is ridiculous. Each terminal is already weak on amenities, because a huge amount of terminal space is devoted to facilities of zero use for waiting/connecting passengers (e.g. doors to the sidewalks, ticket agents, baggage claims), but a passenger who is in a secure zone is further confined to a small fraction of the miserable terminal, a fraction that is even more miserable. To leave the miserable secure zone requires paying the cost of an extra trip through security. I'm a TSA-Pre member and I still don't like having to do that, because it takes a few minutes, and there's no good reason for it. KCI is the only airport that I know of that has such an outdated and useless layout, except perhaps LaGuardia, a third-world dump.

So that's just one man's opinion, but it's from someone who is a complete Kansas City homer. KCI is a disaster that even Kansas Citians don't actually seem to like all that much given the mediocre ratings it gets from surveys. If you factor in what its ratings would be if it had significant connecting passenger traffic, it's a complete and total disaster. It's amazing to me that the folks in Kansas City would concede that their airport should not be a hub. It's in the middle of the continent, and KCI was always intended to be a hub. It just happened to end up with a daring design that ended up not paying off in the modern era of heavy passenger screening. Even if a Kansas Citian did not want or think that their airport could be a hub, I can't understand why they would think that they have a good airport. It's stuck in the early 1970's by a restrictive architecture, while other airports have gone way past it. Even older airports are way the hell nicer. I was at Washington National on Wednesday, and that place is far the hell more pleasant to wait for a flight than Monday. I admit that the comparison is fair, because I just became a United Club member and National has a Club, and so of course it's a lot more comfortable to wait in a club than in a regular waiting area, but even accounting for that, at National, you have way more amenities available to you compared to what's available at KCI.

DanT · 10-07-2017, 10:50 AM

People who know me know that I'm way biased in favor of Kansas City. It's sad that I would have trouble recommending Kansas City as a meeting site for a professional conference, but that's the reality, because that airport ****in' sucks, which makes there be fewer flights than there could be and which also makes it that one would be embarrassed to have colleagues or clients stuck there waiting for flights.

Reerun_KC · 10-07-2017, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dayze

Speaking of airports....

How much traffic goes in and out of Wheeler?
Put a stadium there.

A shit ton. Almost all business jets go in and out of there. Most cities have an executive airport for business travelers.

Removing it would kill people bringing more business into KC. KCI is a ****ing mess for private industry.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Bearcat** · 10-07-2017, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanT

To me, KCI is among the worst airports that I use, and I only use it when visiting my family, not for connecting flights. Given that KCI is not very popular for connecting flights, I would guess that most of the passengers who were eligible to rate it in the latest J.D. Power 2017 North American Airport Satisfaction Study used it purely for round trips. Even still, it only got rated in the "about average" tier, with a score of 742, close to the average rating 745 for its class ("Large Airports"). http://www.jdpower.com/press-release...sfaction-study

My primary airport is Sacramento International, a "Medium Airport", which received the highest overall average rating, a 810. But it's not just Sacramento's airport that is far better than KCI in my opinion, it's damn near every U.S. airport I've been through in the past few years. In large part this is because KCI's layout is ridiculous. Each terminal is already weak on amenities, because a huge amount of terminal space is devoted to facilities of zero use for waiting/connecting passengers (e.g. doors to the sidewalks, ticket agents, baggage claims), but a passenger who is in a secure zone is further confined to a small fraction of the miserable terminal, a fraction that is even more miserable. To leave the miserable secure zone requires paying the cost of an extra trip through security. I'm a TSA-Pre member and I still don't like having to do that, because it takes a few minutes, and there's no good reason for it. KCI is the only airport that I know of that has such an outdated and useless layout, except perhaps La Guardia, a third-world dump.

So that's just one man's opinion, but it's from someone who is a complete Kansas City homer. KCI is a disaster that even Kansas Citians don't actually seem to like all that much given the mediocre ratings it gets from surveys. If you factor in what its ratings would be if it had significant connecting passenger traffic, it's a complete and total disaster. It's amazing to me that the folks in Kansas City would concede that their airport should not be a hub. It's in the middle of the continent, and KCI was always intended to be a hub. It just happened to end up with a daring design that ended up not paying off in the modern era of heavy passenger screening. Even if a Kansas Citian did not want or think that their airport could be a hub, I can't understand why they would think that they have a good airport. It's stuck in the early 1970's by a restrictive architecture, while other airports have gone way past it. Even older airports are way the hell nicer. I was at Washington National on Wednesday, and that place is far the hell more pleasant to wait for a flight than Monday. I admit that the comparison is fair, because I just became a United Club member and National has a Club, and so of course it's a lot more comfortable to wait in a club than in a regular waiting area, but even accounting for that, at National, you have way more amenities available to you compared to what's available at KCI.

So, what do people do at other airports, that KCI is lacking, that makes KCI so freakin' miserable? I show up pretty close to boarding time, usually have just enough time to play on the laptop for a bit, then get in line.

Of course, large/busier airports have restaurants beyond security, but if you're at KCI long enough to eat a meal, you're doing it wrong (especially with TSA-Pre). Maybe I've just been lucky with a lack of flight delays though.... I was there once for 3 extra hours, but I just played on my laptop and listened to music. If they had a nice craft beer bar, I'd buy a $10 airport beer before my flight, but not doing that doesn't exactly take my experience from good to disaster.

Or maybe I'm missing out on awesome pre-flight parties in those club lounges?

cooper barrett · 10-07-2017, 11:16 AM

I have never heard a negative thought on MCI unless it was a first timer having to change terminals.

ROYC75 · 10-07-2017, 01:11 PM

Say wut?

Just keep talking this senseless horseshit!

Some people are just not satisfied with a good thing!

DanT · 10-07-2017, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearcat

So, what do people do at other airports, that KCI is lacking, that makes KCI so freakin' miserable? I show up pretty close to boarding time, usually have just enough time to play on the laptop for a bit, then get in line.

Of course, large/busier airports have restaurants beyond security, but if you're at KCI long enough to eat a meal, you're doing it wrong (especially with TSA-Pre). Maybe I've just been lucky with a lack of flight delays though.... I was there once for 3 extra hours, but I just played on my laptop and listened to music. If they had a nice craft beer bar, I'd buy a $10 airport beer before my flight, but not doing that doesn't exactly take my experience from good to disaster.

Or maybe I'm missing out on awesome pre-flight parties in those club lounges?

As KCI is currently configured, few if any connecting flights would go through there, because it is so horrible. But at the airports that I tend to have connecting flights at (Denver, O'Hare and Houston), it's not uncommon to need to kill at least 30 minutes, so being able to get lunch or do some shopping is convenient. (I don't shop much, but in the past year, I've bought earplugs and a replacement Kindle at airports while traveling on flights that weren't delayed. And I got stuck in Denver overnight during a blizzard, so I needed to buy boots and gloves, which I was able to do at their airport.)

Also, I tend to have bad luck with travel delays. Nowadays, the airlines are so tightly scheduled that weather or equipment problems combine with safety restrictions for crew work hours to make it that delays propagate through the system. So I've had several times in the past year where I was stuck at the airport where I'm making my original departure. If you get stuck at KCI, that place sucks. My opinion on this is not unique. You can look at the Google Reviews for KCI and see how badly it is viewed by a large number of flyers.

Titty Meat · 10-07-2017, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Yep. I know they've used that bridge for DUI checkpoints in the past because once you're on it there's nowhere else to go.

DUI checkpoints are now illegal in MO.

mnchiefsguy · 10-07-2017, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter Libby

DUI checkpoints are now illegal in MO.

They are not illegal, they are just no longer funded by the state, which shifted the funding to "saturation patrols".

Police Departments can still put up a DUI checkpoint, they just have to pay for it themselves. Due to their expense, it is in not expected that any local departments will pay for it on their own, when they can just switch to the saturation patrol and get state and federal money.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local...155652669.html

http://fox4kc.com/2017/05/09/checkpo...f-state-money/

DanT · 10-07-2017, 01:30 PM

I realize there are many Kansas Citians who love KCI or don't think it needs an expensive new terminal. It really depends on how one travels. For me, the place is bad and obviously needs to be updated. I couldn't imagine an airline choosing it for a hub, as it is currently configured. I think the airport hurts the city's commercial prospects, because it gives many travelers a really uncomfortable travel experience and gives a poor overall first and last impression of the city. But there are definitely folks who just need an airport for flying to and from places with fairly reliable service and little risk for flight delays. I imagine those customers like KCI a lot.

ChiefsCountry · 10-07-2017, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dayze

Speaking of airports....

How much traffic goes in and out of Wheeler?
Put a stadium there.

Royals and all the MLB teams use Wheeler for their charters.

FloridaMan88 · 10-07-2017, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

I'm not sure I agree. I've been flying in and out of MCI since 1999 and it's hands-down the best airport. A bit dark, but that matters little. Add trains between the three terminals and it would be complete. Add rail from Lee's Summit, Independence, OP, Olathe, and it would be even more perfect.

I would disagree with that assessment of MCI as would most business travelers I would guess as well.

The short distance difference from parking/curbside to gate that MCI supposedly has compared to most other airports is exaggerated. At Miami's airport it takes me usually about 10 minutes to get from parking/curbside to the gate.

MCI's set-up with the gates as small holding tanks do not allow for a normal TSA security set-up (i.e. dedicated TSA pre-check lanes) and also the restroom/amenities situation in the small/holding tank-type gates is lacking.

Also if you have to change airlines/terminals at MCI the supposed short distance advantage is negated.

Also if Kansas City wants to attract new business development... i.e. Amazon's second headquarters... MCI is a detriment towards that ambition.

10-04-2017, 04:51 PM
Titty Meat Inmem 2.0 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: My house Casino cash: $1787558	Kansas City begins talk and studies for downtown ballpark http://www.kansascity.com/news/polit...177058541.html The city of Kansas City is funding a study of at least four potential sites for a downtown baseball stadium for the Kansas City Royals, according to documents obtained by The Star. A series of emails shows that Kansas City Manager Troy Schulte was involved in funding studies of four sites within the downtown loop that might be suitable for a baseball stadium. Two of those sites, according to slides prepared by architecture firm HOK, are immediately adjacent to the Sprint Center, one to the north and one to the east. Another site is East Village, several blocks of mostly undeveloped land and surface parking lots east of City Hall. A fourth site would involve several blocks of mostly surface parking lots beginning at the northwest corner of 8th and Main streets. Others involved in the planning include Jon Copaken, principal with real estate development firm Copaken-Brooks, the Downtown Council of Kansas City, JE Dunn, The Cordish Co. and Tower Properties. Schulte said the studies started after the Downtown Council approached City Hall about the feasibility of downtown baseball. Schulte added that he agreed to help fund a study to consider whether the four sites would work so that the city could plan ahead if the idea gained momentum. “At this point it’s nothing more than hopes and dreams and discussions,” Schulte said. A May 12 email from Copaken obtained by The Star suggested that conversations with the Royals and Jackson County have started. “[T]he studies are underway, invoices are out, conversations from the County and the team are actually heading in the right way and we are sufficiently in the loop to know that real progress is being achieved,” Copaken wrote. Kevin Uhlich, senior vice president of business operations for the Royals, said he had been contacted about downtown baseball stadium proposals earlier this year.
Posts: 75,605

10-07-2017, 10:22 AM	#183
cooper barrett MVP Join Date: Aug 2017 Casino cash: $10000400	The Heart of America (ASB) is a long bridge but isn't that backed up on a regular basis unless I-35 is clogged. and the bridge from the old airport (Buck O'Neil) has never been a headache unless there is a wreck as I recall.. 1- Why move the ball park? it's fine where it is.. 2- Yes Wheeler needs to go but a ball park? Put it on the west side of I-670 on the hill but first refer to #1. You won't have to build a new bridge to get there... __________________ Last edited by cooper barrett; 10-07-2017 at 11:14 AM..
Posts: 13,669

10-07-2017, 10:50 AM	#185
DanT Veteran Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Davis, CA Casino cash: $4091711	People who know me know that I'm way biased in favor of Kansas City. It's sad that I would have trouble recommending Kansas City as a meeting site for a professional conference, but that's the reality, because that airport ****in' sucks, which makes there be fewer flights than there could be and which also makes it that one would be embarrassed to have colleagues or clients stuck there waiting for flights.
Posts: 4,251

10-07-2017, 11:16 AM	#188
cooper barrett MVP Join Date: Aug 2017 Casino cash: $10000400	I have never heard a negative thought on MCI unless it was a first timer having to change terminals. __________________
Posts: 13,669

10-07-2017, 01:11 PM	#189
ROYC75 Time For Your Wake Up Call !!! Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Barn Yard Casino cash: $5209400	Kansas City begins talk and studies for downtown ballpark Say wut? Just keep talking this senseless horseshit! Some people are just not satisfied with a good thing! __________________ Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it. John Lennon
Posts: 37,034

10-07-2017, 01:30 PM	#193
DanT Veteran Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Davis, CA Casino cash: $4091711	I realize there are many Kansas Citians who love KCI or don't think it needs an expensive new terminal. It really depends on how one travels. For me, the place is bad and obviously needs to be updated. I couldn't imagine an airline choosing it for a hub, as it is currently configured. I think the airport hurts the city's commercial prospects, because it gives many travelers a really uncomfortable travel experience and gives a poor overall first and last impression of the city. But there are definitely folks who just need an airport for flying to and from places with fairly reliable service and little risk for flight delays. I imagine those customers like KCI a lot.
Posts: 4,251